A title for Mary as the Mother of God in early drafts of Aia María, Tolkien’s translation of the Ave Maria prayer (VT43/26-7), and also as a rejected word in Ortírielyanna, Tolkien’s Quenya translation of the Sub Tuum Praesidium (VT44/5). It is a compound of Eru “God” and amil(lë) “mother”. In later drafts of Aia María, this name was replaced by the term Eruo ontaril (VT43/27-28), and in the translation of other prayers he used the name Eruontarië of similar meaning.
Quenya
eruontarië
feminine name. *Mother of God, (lit.) God-genetrix
Changes
Eruontarie→ Eruontari ✧ VT44/07Element in
- Q. Aina Eruontarië “Holy Mother of God” ✧ VT44/18
- Q. ortírielyanna rucimmë, Aina Eruontari “we fly to thy patronage, O holy Mother of God” ✧ VT44/07
Elements
Word Gloss Eru “The One, God” ontari(l) “*mother, (lit.) genetrix” Variations
- Eruontarie ✧ VT44/05 (
Eruontarie); VT44/18- Eruontari ✧ VT44/07
eruamillë
feminine name. *Mother of God
Changes
Eruamille→ Eruontarie “*Mother of God” ✧ VT44/05Element in
- Q. Airë María Eruo ontaril “Holy Mary, Mother of God” ✧ VT43/32
Elements
Word Gloss Eru “The One, God” amil(lë) “mother” Variations
- Eruamille ✧ VT43/32; VT44/07 (
Eruamille)
Eru
the one
Eru divine name "the One" = God (VT43:32, VT44:16-17), "the One God" (Letters:387), a name reserved for the most solemn occasions (WJ:402). Often in the combination Eru Ilúvatar, "Eru Allfather" (cf. MR:112). Genitive Eruo (MR:329, VT43:28/32), dative Erun (VT44:32, 34). The adjectival form Eruva "divine" (Eruva lissëo "of divine grace", VT44:18) would be identical to the form appearing in the possessive case. Compound nouns: Eruhantalë "Thanksgiving to Eru", a Númenórean festival (UT:166, 436), Eruhin pl. Eruhíni "Children of Eru", Elves and Men (WJ:403; SA:híni, cf. _Eruhîn _in Letters:345), Eruion *"son of God" (or "God the Son"?) (VT44:16), Erukyermë "Prayer to Eru", a Númenórean festival (UT:166, 436), Erulaitalë "Praise of Eru", a Númenórean festival (UT:166, 436), Eruamillë "Mother of God" (in Tolkien's translation of the Hail Mary, VT43:32, see also VT44:7), Eruontari, Eruontarië other translations of "Mother (Begetter) of God" (VT44:7, 18), Erusén "the children of God" (RGEO:74; this is a strange form with no plural ending; contrast the synonym Eruhíni.) #Eruanna and #erulissë, various terms for "grace", literally "God-gift" and "God-sweetness", respectively (VT43:29; these words are attested in the genitive and instrumental case, respectively: Eruanno, erulissenen).
A title for Mary as the Mother of God in Ortírielyanna (VT44/5), Tolkien’s Quenya translation of the Sub Tuum Praesidium, as well as Tolkien’s Quenya translation of the Litany of Loreto (VT44/12). It appeared in both the forms Eruontarië (VT44/12) and Eruontari (VT44/5). It is a compound of Eru “God” and the word ontarië “✱mother, genetrix”. In the final drafts of Aia María, Tolkien’s translation of the Ave Maria prayer, he used the similar term Eruo ontaril (VT43/27-28).
Conceptual Development: In earlier versions of these prayers, Tolkien used the name Eruamillë of similar meaning.